Kolkata-based cyber fraud gang busted in Baghpat; 10 arrested for ₹4.44 crore scam

Police in Uttar Pradesh’s Baghpat district have arrested ten members of an interstate cyber fraud gang allegedly linked to Kolkata and Howrah for cheating people of ₹4.44 crore through online scams. The accused were apprehended near the Eastern Peripheral Expressway bridge in Mavikalan village while reportedly travelling from Ghaziabad to Haryana.

According to Superintendent of Police Suraj Kumar Rai, the investigation began after a complaint was filed on March 17 by farmer Ankur Nain from Sarurpur Kalan village. The victim alleged he was lured by a clothing advertisement on Instagram and transferred ₹1,42,603 to several bank accounts. Acting on mobile numbers and bank details linked to the transaction, cyber crime police traced the suspects and carried out the arrests.

During interrogation, the accused revealed they operated a mobile call centre network and targeted victims across multiple states using social media advertisements, fake customer care services, gaming apps and share trading offers. Investigators said the gang often contacted victims through foreign numbers and used software to remotely access customers’ phones or laptops after convincing them to share screens.

Police said call centres connected to the gang were run from several locations including Kolkata, Delhi, Bihar and Allahabad in Uttar Pradesh. Authorities also recovered multiple electronic devices and bank-related materials used in the fraud operations. According to officials, complaints linked to the gang had already been registered on the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal by victims from states including Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka and Puducherry. Police are continuing efforts to arrest two additional suspects, identified as Sachin and Chandan from Kolkata.